Misha Shahbazian

Misha (Mikayel) Shahbazian studied painting for four years at the School of Fine Arts under the supervision of Kamal-ol-Molk. He also trained for a time with the Russian artist Paul Maki (Mark) and spent a period studying in Tbilisi. He exhibited his works in several shows, including at the Iran–Soviet Cultural Relations Association (VOKS) and at the Hall of the Armenian Club of Tehran. Shahbazian belonged to the group of painters known as the “Isfahan Watercolor School” or the “New Julfa Painters.” Nevertheless, a number of oil paintings by him have also remained. With a strong understanding of the fluid and uncontrollable nature of watercolor, he made full use of the expressive potential of this medium. His decisive and luminous color patches quickly coalesce into firmly structured forms or landscapes. It should be noted that controlling such colors on a wet paper surface is extremely challenging—yet Shahbazian handled this difficulty skillfully in his watercolor works. A defining characteristic of this group was the promotion of plein-air landscape painting and the depiction of the local features of Iranian scenery and historical architecture. These Armenian painters, through their works and teaching, greatly contributed to the development and popularization of watercolor technique in Iran. Shahbazian’s works have been offered and sought after at domestic and international auctions more than fifteen times.